This is the first forum I've ever joined so I hope you can help me. I'm trying to choose the right breed of dog to get. I work full-time and am toying between a miniature poodle or wheaten terrier. I had a wheaten for 12 years until she passed away. I have two grandchildren aged 5 and 2 that live with me. i'm off in the summer and weekends, but work full-time during the school year. I want to make sure I choose a dog that won't have separation anxiety and will be good with children. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

According to breed descriptions both are good with children but, as with all dogs & cats for that matter, you must socialize them properly around kids and teach your grandchildren proper ways to greet and handle dogs.

As for separation anxiety that can happen to any breed, but most dogs can overcome it with the right training/desensitization.

If you are planning to adopt a shelter dog you can arrange play sessions/walks with the dogs you are interested in and shelter rules permitting bring the children to meet the dogs to see how the dog reacts to and interacts with them before bringing the dog home.

Honestly, with the information you have given, it would be irresponsible to direct you to a breed.

How active are you? Do your grandchildren live with you? Do they visit often? Do they have a dog at home? If so, what kind? What activities would you like to do with your dog? Will it simply be a housepet or do you walk, bicycle, fish, hike, swim, etc? Are you willing to take on the responsiblity of the 15 to 20 year life span of a toy breed?

Where do you plan on getting said puppy? Do you want to do the research on the breed and breeders before getting a puppy? Or do you just want to run to the local pet shop and pick one up? (That would be a HUGE mistake, by the way!) Do you want a puppy or an older dog? Have you considered rescue?

My best advice would be to go to your local shelter and see what is available. I am sure that you can find the perfect dog for you and your grandchildren without having to worry about a specific breed.

I go for walks and take the children to the park, etc. They live with me part-time...every other week. We'd like to get an older puppy. I've searced rescue shelters within a two hour drive, but have yet to find a non-shedding dog. I have allergies. My last dog was a wheaten terrier. She died when she was twelve years old, so I'm definitely aware of the comittment, expense, etc. i was toying with a smaller breed than the wheaten because our dog was a real member of the family and came with us everywhere. Now with two car seats there's not much room to transport all of us and a dog that weighs more than 20 lbs or so.

Well - keep your eye on local shelters and rescue groups. You have a really good chance of finding a smaller shed free dog. The breeds you can consider, given your allergies, are yorkies, poodles (think about a miniature, instead of a toy, maybe), bichons, schnauzers, and many of the smaller terriers have a coat that may work well for you. Remember, mixes of these are euthanized every year and would probably be perfect for what you want. And chances are, you can find an older puppy or young dog - already vetted and spayed/neutered.

shih tzu's. lhasa's, bichon, all are non shedding, and yu can usually find these breeds in rescue. They love to play, but don't require a strict exercise commitment, cuddly, and strong enough for kids. Grooming is high needs. but they don't shed.

I have a shih tzu lhasa cross and it is great for little kids, he is small, but sturdy, his legs are probably 3 times thicker than a poodle or a pom. he can keep up on long walks, and likes to snuggle, and he is a rescue!

poodles are fragile, and can be nippy when they are 'hurt' I don't recommend them for small kids, or poms for that matter. go meet a lot of dogs and let one pick you, take the kids, you will find the new buddy!

You've all given great advice! I'll definitely give up on the toy poodle idea and start looking at some of these other non-shed breeds that I hadn't previously considered. i know the shelters are the best starting point.

I've been searching petfinder.com as well as local shelters in a 100 mile radius and still haven't found a non-shedding dog for my family to adopt. There are older dogs available, but I'd really prefer to adopt a younger dog, 1 to 2 years old. The search is frustrating, since i do want to rescue a dog.

one should pop up soon! Have you called all the local rescues, and pounds? What about a mix? Part poodle, lhasa, shih tzu, bichon, even schnauzers are pretty good. There are so many designer dogs now, poodle or shih tzu or bichon crosses, one should end in rescue near you soon.. They make really awesome pets, if you rescue them, I don't think they should be bred... My lhasa shih tzu cross ( has a tiny bit of bichon too, which I like cuz he has small eyes..) is an AWESOME dog!! Surely you will find one soon!! Good luck!! It will be worth the wait!! Promise!

I've been searching petfinder.com as well as local shelters in a 100 mile radius and still haven't found a non-shedding dog for my family to adopt. There are older dogs available, but I'd really prefer to adopt a younger dog, 1 to 2 years old. The search is frustrating, since i do want to rescue a dog.

Remember smaller breeds are usually longer living so a little older usually works too! I adopted a 6 year old MinPin and he's 18 this year! You wouldn't know his age if I didn't tell you either! Age is just a number.

Definately go for the mix breed non shedding dog. Try for around over 25 lbs. I run a home daycare and little dogs and kids don't mix. Large dogs are hard to handle and knock the children over. A small golden doodle (a very expensive fancy mix) is great with kids and non allergenic. There are "breeders" however they are charging lots of money for a mix breed. Make sure they are small dogs cause I've seen them at 60-75 lbs and there is no guarantee on the size. Shelters have full grown dogs and you would have a true size.

i know what you mean about the goldendoodles. I've seen minis online and they cost a fortune=usually over $1200! That's insane and you never know about the breeders. Are they just in it for the money? The pictures I saw of those dogs were adorable, but looks aren't everything. I've called so many shelters but haven't yet found a non-shedder so the search continues.

Make sure you spend some time (more than just a day) with whatever dog you decide to get.
Even individual dogs from supposed low shedding breeds that don't usually flair up your allergies can cause a reaction, so you need to make sure THAT individual dog doesn't cause any issues, or else you and the dog may be heartbroken if you have to take it back.

Also, I agree the doodle breeds don't necessarily not shed since they're a mix. My cousin ALWAYS had cockapoos and they all shedded like crazy. They can inherit traits from either breed.

The best bet if you're looking for a SPECIFIC trait is to get a purebred from a reputable breeder (look for sticky on here about reputable breeders, I'm pretty sure there is one). Purebreds are bred to a specific standard so the breeder's going to try and stay away from unusual traits.

Keep looking for a dog in a shelter though, you may find what you want. I've seen plenty of poodles in shelters that are sweet and need good homes